Show Review + 2 mp3s: Bassnectar in Colorado

Red Rocks, Morrison Colorado – June, 18

There is truly no other live music venue like Red Rocks. Situated 15 miles west of Downtown Denver, it is worthy of the plane fair from San Francisco to see a show, especially if you’re going to see Bassnectar. Red Rocks, a natural amphitheater, has beautiful sound, a stunning view of the Colorado front range, and the seating is set up so even when Bassnectar sells the venue out (a month before the show), there is plenty of room to dance, or, in my case, sit so I can catch my breath in the thin Colorado air.

Beats Antique finished their opening set just past 9:10. It was 80 degrees and the sun was setting – a perfect scene. We walked up to the top of the amphitheater thinking that we should watch Bassnectar kill it to the setting sun, turning our “perfect scene” into the super rave of the decade. I stated getting nervous because all the signs outside of the venue state, music goes until 11. Anyone familiar with Bassnectar’s live shows knows that 1 hour and 45 minutes is hardly enough time for him to really get on a roll. Bassnectar steps out, the sun is setting, the bass assault begins. To our surprise the sound was much better in the VIP section. We grabbed new beers and headed down.

The VIP section of the show was simply a roped off area 11 rows from center stage. It allowed you more room to dance, plus you can’t beat the view or the sound when you’re that close. Bassnectar ended up playing for almost 3 hours, giving him the time and the energy to unleash remix, after remix, after remix. Bassnectar’s music sits in a category all to himself; although always full of energy, most of his music rarely moves past 120 BPM. He juxtaposes hip-hop, drum n’ bass, dubstep, and rock n’ roll, I’ve heard his style referred to as “electro-metal”. Whatever adjective you want to attach to his style the one thing that’s apparent is that although his mixes blast out at you, you can tell he’s having as much fun as the crowd is. He commented twice how he wishes we could see what it’s like to watch 10,000 fanning hands as you crush the most awesome venue in The US.